How do broadway salaries work?- Page 4

[algy]

Posted: 9/3/10 at 5:50pm

This is so interesting (still) which ever way it expands!

Thank you Brooke for all your extremely helpful and insightful posts.

Is Player's Guide a bit like http://www.spotlight.com/?

I can see why Billy Eliot would have another Billy in the building - but it must make it doubly difficult for the working time for children rules...

[theatreguy]

Posted: 9/3/10 at 6:01pm

Not too difficult, algy. While they do their best to give each Billy enough time off between performances, there are no laws governing that as there are in the UK.

[algy]

Posted: 9/3/10 at 7:38pm

Ah ok - thanks for that Theatre Guy - I assumed they had three Billy's for the same reason the UK does - that kids are only allowed to spend a certain number of hours per week working.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 9/3/10 at 10:43pm

It's more because the role is so demanding. Debbie and the ballet girls, for example, are not double cast on Broadway whereas they are on the West End to comply with labor laws.

[ace33]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 10:26am

What is a Dresser?

my guesses:
a) someone who puts your clothes on for you?
b) A peice of bedroom furniture?
c) Fran Dresser?

[canmark]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 10:41am

This is one of the most interesting threads I've read on this board EVER.

My question is: what happens when a show has a pre-Broadway run in another city? For example, The Addams Family in Chicago or the upcoming Priscilla Queen of the Desert in Toronto. Do the actors make the same pay in those other cities prior to the Broadway run? And I assume that accommodation is paid for, but do the actors have to share a (hotel) room or do they get their own room?

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 11:04am

Out of town tryouts are usually going to be at the same salary as Broadway, because most times they are still using the Production Contract. The exception would be if the show is being produced by a LORT/regional theatre. In that case the rates MAY be lower, since the minimums are lower. They may still be getting the rate they would for the Broadway run, but that is all dependent on negotiations, how much money the NY producers are putting in to the regional production, and how much the LORT theatre is willing to spend.

For hotels (assuming the out of town tryout is not associated with a LORT theatre, because then it's a whole different set of rules) the producer is required to offer two hotel options, at two different price levels, for both single and double occupancy rooms. The actor can choose either of these, or choose to find their own housing. They are given a per diem of $120 per day. They pay for the hotel out of this money, as well as their meals.

The producers pay for their travel to and from whatever city the try out will be in. Again, the actors can opt to arrange their own travel and take a reimbursement equivalent to what the producers would have paid for that actor.

[mikem]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 2:30pm

Child labor laws in the US vary by state. California has pretty strict laws about number of hours worked for child actors, which is why so many TV shows and films use identical twins (and sometimes triplets) for children. I'm not sure New York has any particular restrictions on work hours for child actors.

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 3:17pm

First - Though AEA AGMA SM explained it perfectly regarding housing and travel, just wanted to clarify that usually the single and double occupancy rooms are actually the same price or close to it (because of the deals the company manager makes with the hotels for the week-long reservations of upwards of 20 rooms), but many actors, especially the younger ones, will have a roommate in hotels to split the bill and save that money (their per diem).

Thanks AEA and others... I actually have heard of "Players Guide" as well but forgot about it. I am guessing that list is a little dated.

When I asked about tips/gratuity. I was originally solely thinking about tips for dressers not at restaurants, hotels, etc. That's why I asked about intown vs. out of town.

[singtopher]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 5:07pm

A dresser is another name for costume crew. They do everything regarding the costumes (maintenance, quick changes, etc.). They are assigned to specific actors. They can also be an actor's personal support system backstage.

[flossie2]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 6:39pm

I have always wondered how actors keep track of all this. Do you bring a big box of receipts to an accountant? Also, if you work in regional theatre in a number of different states do you pay taxes to all those states?

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 6:58pm

"I'm not sure New York has any particular restrictions on work hours for child actors."

I'd always thought they were strict, but only because every show I know of with a child who spends a fair amount of time onstage is double-cast, with the actors alternating shows. Obviously there are exceptions to this, though, so maybe I'm wrong.

And what singtopher said about dressers. They are really hard-working people, doing laundry, repairs, having each item of clothing ready - and yes, they often help out actors in non-dresser ways, such as making sure they have water, or energy drink etc, available for them. They might get them food or run errands b/w shows. Many actors who can afford it use the same dresser from show to show, they find them so helpful.

Flossie, many actors keep an envelope per month, labeling receipts as they put them in. It sounds difficult but really isn't once you get in the habit. Also, they're paid by the company, not by the theater, so I don't think individual state taxes apply.

[singtopher]

Posted: 9/4/10 at 8:07pm

^ On tour that is true. If an actor is working regionally, then they have to file in each state. Last year I had to do New York, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, and Vermont.

ETA: I do the envelope thing. For each job I just take an old envelope, and label it with the show I did. Throw all my receipts in it. Then I put them in an excel document. When tax time comes, I have it all in one place and it's easy to fill out the forms.

Updated On: 9/4/10 at 08:07 PM

[snowskittle]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:09am

Wanting to keep this interesting thread running, one thing to keep in mind regarding actors finances is that in this profession, every job is always temporary, so in addition to the regular expenses involved in just living in NY, they always have to plan (and save) for the lean times between shows.

I'd imagine this would be very difficult for emsemble members making minimum equity wages, especially when they have no idea when they will be working in the future.

[singtopher]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 10:35am

Very true. Unemployment can help a lot also. (You'd get full benefits after being on Broadway for only 8 weeks, I think)

[BrookeTansley]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:29pm

That's not true for unemployment.

New York State looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters and picks the highest one. Then they divide by 26. If the amount is $405 or more, your weekly amount is $405. But, you have to, in the remaining 3 quarters, have made 1.5 times the amount of your highest quarter.

So 8 weeks of work means nothing if you don't have work weeks in other calendar quarters with earnings adding up to 1.5 times your high quarter.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:33pm

Math sucks!

[mikem]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 1:46pm

Although a lot of kids are double-cast, some lengthy roles recently have not been. The two kids in South Pacific are the first people on stage and also in the last scene, with multiple scenes in between for an almost 3-hour long show, and they were not double cast. Similarly, the child actor in Joe Turner did not have an alternate and that show was about 2 hrs and 40 mins (with the child and her father being the first people on stage and I believe also on stage in the last scenes as well -- and certainly there at the curtain call).

So if these shows requiring long hours of work for the child actors didn't have restrictions, I don't think the reason shows double cast the actors is because of restrictions on work hours.

[algy]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 2:33pm

Different tax returns for different states? Yeesh that's complicated! I thought it was bad enough working freelance in teh UK!

Still interested in the workings of the NY child labour laws - I had seen (as some one mentioned) casting of twins etc in TV series and assumed that the same style of labour laws were in place across american - I do have this habit of forgetting how varied laws in the US can be from state to state because it the UK (with a few exceptions because of devolution) laws apply across the country.

I just found these guidelines on www.amateurdramatic.co.uk - which (though I can't be sure they're accurate) tally with my understanding of the rules (mostly)

"Current UK Laws

* All professional (paid above and beyond “expenses”) child actors under 16 must be licensed by their local education authorities (LEAs). Interestingly, LEAs’ decisions often vary from location to location. It’s even been suggested that some LEAs are far more lenient than others, which can lead to sub par candidates. On the other hand, several LEAs reputedly take a great deal of time when processing licences or simply reject them altogether, which could mean missed opportunities for young actors.
* Children under 14 cannot receive a licence under UK law unless the role they are performing can only be acted, sung, danced, et cetera, by someone of their age. In other words, there could be grounds to say that the part of a preteen could be played by someone who is actually older but looks younger.
* The onus is upon LEAs to determine whether or not a child should be given a licence based on many factors, including whether or not he or she would be able to keep up with his or her education. Often, young performers must be provided with onsite tutoring if they are involved in work that will take them away from school for a substantial period of time.
* All children under 16 are to be accompanied to their performances by a licensed chaperone. The LEA has the responsibility to licence those men and women.
* Children ages 14 and over are allowed under UK law to perform 79 days out of the year. Children under the age of 13 can only perform 39 days annually. Breaks vary depending upon the time of year, time of day, type of performance and age of performer.
* Children performers who are licensed are not allowed to work in a setting considered “industrial”, during “traditional school hours”, before 7:00 a.m., after 7:00 p.m., for over four hours without a one hour break, somewhere “harmful” to them or without a break of two weeks each year. (In reality, these rules are sometimes “bent” using a variety of loopholes in the statutes.) "

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 3:05pm

This thread is really interesting, especially with the working Equity actors weighing in, but I find it somewhat amusing that the only union anyone ever asks about is the ONLY theatrical union that makes all its terms and rates publicly available on their website.

Also, if you work in regional theatre in a number of different states do you pay taxes to all those states?

Yep. My friend's mom is an accountant with a big accounting firm, and she is paid by clients all over the country and as a result, has to file a state tax return for nearly every state in the U.S.

I don't want to go back to find the post now, but someone asked if producers limit Principal roles to save money whenever the swings go on? That's partially true, but mainly it's that the minimum weekly salary for Principal roles is higher than Chorus roles. At least on some contracts, I'll admit I haven't read the Broadway contract lately.

Also, the Dance Captain receives an extra bump to their weekly salary. In addition to the swings and understudies receiving some amount for each part they cover, ensemble members receive their minimum weekly salary plus a "parts" payment that is related to the number of parts they cover, determined by Equity before performances begin.

If an ensemble member plays various parts and is the dance captain and understudies the lead, he or she could very easily be making more per week than the lead he or she is covering, especially if the lead is not a big enough name to negotiate more than the minimum.

[BrookeTansley]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 3:26pm

"Also, the Dance Captain receives an extra bump to their weekly salary. In addition to the swings and understudies receiving some amount for each part they cover, ensemble members receive their minimum weekly salary plus a "parts" payment that is related to the number of parts they cover, determined by Equity before performances begin."

Not all parts. Only principals and ensemble features.

"If an ensemble member plays various parts and is the dance captain and understudies the lead, he or she could very easily be making more per week than the lead he or she is covering, especially if the lead is not a big enough name to negotiate more than the minimum."

I have never seen this to be the case.

[mikem]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 3:42pm

Is it true that most Roundabout/MTC/Lincoln Center productions pay everyone the minimum, regardless of billing, for the initial subscriber run? Someone said that here at one point, but I don't know if that is true.

That would be a circumstance in which the understudy might make more than the lead. Otherwise, it seems that it would be difficult to do. The bump for understudying is something like $33 a week per part -- nice to have, but not going to make your salary equal a principal's salary. (The dance captain gets around $300 a week for that duty.)

I have a question about the creative team. What is the typical range for a set/costume/lighting designer or choreographer on Broadway? What would be a typical fee and what type of royalty would they typically get? Is it markedly different for non-profits vs commercial productions?

Updated On: 9/7/10 at 03:42 PM

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 3:54pm

"If an ensemble member plays various parts and is the dance captain and understudies the lead, he or she could very easily be making more per week than the lead he or she is covering, especially if the lead is not a big enough name to negotiate more than the minimum."

I have never seen this to be the case.

Again, I personally have not worked with the Broadway Production contract, and I have not read it recently, but I have worked with Midsize Theatre contracts where it occurred.

Is it true that most Roundabout/MTC/Lincoln Center productions pay everyone the minimum, regardless of billing, for the initial subscriber run? Someone said that here at one point, but I don't know if that is true.

The theatres you mention are all nonprofit, so even though their productions are on Broadway, they are on a separate contract type known as a LORT contract. The LORT contract has different terms, and I believe it is true that Principals and Chorus actors do not have different minimums, but I have even less experience with the LORT contract than I do with the Broadway contract.

FYI, LORT stands for "League of Resident Theatres" and is an organization of professional nonprofit theaters, so most nonprofit, use this contract, even if they produce on Broadway. It's actually kind of a sore spot for the unions.

Updated On: 9/7/10 at 03:54 PM

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 5:37pm

In both the Production and LORT contracts there are minimum salaries for Actors. There is currently no distinction in either of them between principals and chorus, it is one base salary that all actors would be starting at. Then of course you add the various extra payments and increments that come from either additional duties such as understudying, being contracted as a swing, fight captain, dance captain, set moves, hazard pay, etc, etc.

In theory, yes, it is possible for an ensemble member on Broadway to be making more than a principal/lead, but this is unlikely to happen. You would be hard pressed to find an actor playing a leading role on Broadway at the minimum salary. If that happened I would encourage that actor to find a new agent and/or manager because they are clearly not doing what they should be doing for that actor.

[theatreguy]

Posted: 9/7/10 at 6:04pm

Not to mention for themselves, since they get 10% of whatever they're client makes!

Harry Connick, Jr. and Laura Linney have both said in interviews that they were paid the minimum for their work at Roundabout so I would assume it's probably the same for most other stars that have worked there.